Cherokee Legend – How the World Was Made
By Katharine Berry Judson in 1913
Within the rich tapestry of Native American folklore, creation stories hold a place of profound significance. These narratives, passed down through generations, offer insights into a tribe’s understanding of the universe, their relationship with the natural world, and their place within the grand scheme of existence. Among these captivating tales, the Cherokee creation myth stands out as a vivid and imaginative account of how the world came to be. This Cherokee Legend – How the World Was Made reveals the Cherokee perception of their origins, a world born from water and shaped by the actions of animals and the intervention of medicine men.
The Cherokee people envisioned the earth not as a fixed and immovable entity, but as a great island adrift in a vast and boundless sea of water. This island, the world as they knew it, was held in place by cords, four in number, descending from the solid rock that formed the sky. These cords, anchoring the earth to the heavens, were symbols of stability and order. However, this stability was not seen as permanent. The Cherokee Legend – How the World Was Made cautions that as the world aged and grew weary, the cords would eventually break, plunging the earth back into the primordial ocean, a cataclysmic event that would spell the end of all life. This apocalyptic vision instilled in the Cherokee people a deep respect for the earth and a profound awareness of its fragility.
Before the existence of land, all creatures resided above, in a realm known as Galun’lati, beyond the solid stone arch of the sky. This celestial dwelling, though initially sufficient, became overcrowded as the animal population grew. The animals, yearning for more space, began to contemplate the mysteries that lay beneath the watery expanse. Driven by curiosity and the need for more room, they sought to discover what existed below the surface. It was Beaver’s grandchild, a small but courageous Water Beetle, who volunteered to undertake this perilous exploration. The Cherokee Legend – How the World Was Made emphasizes the importance of even the smallest creature in the grand design of creation.
The Water Beetle darted across the water’s surface, searching in vain for a place to rest. The waters stretched endlessly, offering no respite, no solid ground. Undeterred, the Water Beetle plunged into the depths, diving to the very bottom of the sea. There, amidst the darkness and pressure, it gathered a small amount of soft mud. This mud, brought back to the surface, began to expand and spread, gradually forming the island that would become the earth. Once the earth had taken shape, it was secured to the sky with the four aforementioned cords, a task performed by an unknown entity, lost to the mists of time. This Cherokee Legend – How the World Was Made is a testament to the resilience and ingenuity of the Water Beetle, a seemingly insignificant creature that played a pivotal role in the creation of the world.
Initially, the newly formed earth was flat, soft, and saturated with water. The animals, eager to descend from Galun’lati, sent forth various birds to assess the conditions and determine if the land was dry enough to inhabit. However, the birds found no suitable place to land and returned to their celestial home. Finally, the time seemed right, and the animals dispatched Buzzard, a majestic bird and the father of all buzzards, to prepare the earth for their arrival. The Cherokee Legend – How the World Was Made shows how animals were involved in the creation of the earth.
Buzzard flew across the earth, skimming low over the still-soft ground. As he reached the region that would become the Cherokee country, he grew weary. His wings, heavy with fatigue, began to flap and strike the earth. Each downward stroke created a valley, while each upward sweep formed a mountain. Witnessing this dramatic transformation, the animals above grew alarmed, fearing that the entire world would be consumed by mountains. They summoned Buzzard back, but the distinctive landscape of the Cherokee country, with its rolling hills and verdant valleys, remains a testament to his efforts. This part of the Cherokee Legend – How the World Was Made explains the unique geography of the Cherokee homeland in North Carolina.
Once the earth had dried, the animals descended from Galun’lati. However, the world was shrouded in darkness. To remedy this, they brought forth the sun and placed it on a track, designed to traverse the sky from east to west each day. Initially, the sun’s path was too low, making the earth unbearably hot. The heat was so intense that it scorched the shell of Red Crawfish, turning it a bright red and rendering its meat inedible. As a result, the Cherokee people abstained from eating crawfish.
To alleviate the scorching heat, the medicine men intervened, raising the sun higher in the sky. They lifted it by a hand’s breadth, but the heat remained oppressive. They repeated the process, raising it again and again, until they had lifted it seven handbreadths, positioning it just beneath the arch of the sky. At this height, the temperature was deemed perfect, and the sun was left to follow its course. The medicine men commemorated this achievement by referring to the elevated position as "the seventh height." According to the Cherokee Legend – How the World Was Made, the sun travels beneath this arch during the day and returns to its starting point at night, following a path above the arch.
The Cherokee believed in the existence of another world beneath the earth, a mirror image of their own. This underworld was inhabited by the same animals, plants, and people, but experienced different seasons. Streams flowing from the mountains served as pathways to this subterranean realm, with springs acting as doorways. To enter the underworld, one had to undergo a period of fasting and seek guidance from one of its inhabitants. The difference in seasons between the two worlds was evident in the temperature of the springs, which were warmer in winter and cooler in summer.
The origins of the first plants and animals remain shrouded in mystery. However, upon their creation, they were tasked with staying awake for seven consecutive nights. This was similar to the practice of young men who fasted and prayed to their medicine. The plants and animals attempted to fulfill this task, but as the nights wore on, more and more of them succumbed to sleep. By the seventh night, only the owl, the panther, and a few others remained awake. As a reward for their vigilance, they were granted the power to see in the dark, move about as if it were day, and prey on the birds and animals that slept during the night.
Among the trees, only the cedar, pine, spruce, holly, and laurel remained awake for all seven nights. As a result, they were granted the gift of perpetual greenery and were deemed sacred. The other trees, having fallen asleep, were condemned to lose their leaves each winter.
Finally, humans arrived on earth, starting with a single man and woman. The man struck the woman with a fish, and after seven days, a child appeared. In this manner, the human population grew rapidly, so rapidly that the earth seemed unable to sustain them all.
This Cherokee Legend – How the World Was Made provides a window into the Cherokee worldview, revealing their deep connection to the natural world, their understanding of creation, and their beliefs about the interconnectedness of all things. It is a story of courage, resilience, and the enduring power of myth.